Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. It is fine to have them regularly as a part of our healthy diet. Eggs contain essential vitamins and minerals, good quality protein and are a source of unsaturated fats including omega-3 fats. However, eggs have gotten a bad reputation because the yolks are high in cholesterol. In fact, a single egg contains 186 mg of cholesterol, which is 62% of the recommended daily intake.
Eggs and Blood Cholesterol
The egg scare started in the 50s and 60s of the last century during a promotional campaign against cholesterol. It induced the belief that cholesterol in eggs would raise blood cholesterol and contribute to heart disease.
Patients and doctors still hold to the idea that eggs are unhealthy because of their high cholesterol content, although many studies have shown that the amount of cholesterol in eggs has a frail influence on our cholesterol blood levels. Cholesterol levels are much more affected by the saturated and trans fats we eat.
A study in the British Medical Journal reports that seven eggs a week, combined with a low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate and high-fiber diet does not raise cholesterol levels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announces that eggs are significantly lower in cholesterol than previously thought. Also, they are quite a bit higher in vitamin D.
What has been overlooked till now is the fact that eggs are also one of the richest sources of choline, a component of lecithin, which many people have eliminated or reduced in their diet. Choline dissolves fats and cholesterol. It keeps the cholesterol in the egg moving through the bloodstream and does not allow it to stack up on arterial walls.
Lecithin breaks fats into small droplets, and this way improves digestion. It also keeps cholesterol soluble, which supports its movement through the bloodstream and prevents blockages or clots.
How Your Body Regulates Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol has seen as a negative term. When we hear it, we start thinking of medication and heart attacks. The truth is that cholesterol is an essential part of the body. It is an organic molecule, which is an important part of every single cell membrane. It is also used to produce steroid hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol.
The body has evolved elegant ways to ensure that we always have enough cholesterol available. If cholesterol is excluded from the diet, the liver produces it. But when we eat foods rich in good cholesterol, such as eggs, the liver starts producing less. So the total amount of cholesterol in the body does not change a lot.
How Many Eggs to Eat
Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week. This quantity could be consumed without any worries for an increase in their risk of heart disease. Some studies have even shown that this level of egg consumption may prevent some types of heart strokes.
But the situation is different for people who have diabetes.Eating seven eggs a week significantly increases their risk of heart disease. As mentioned above, one medium sized egg has about 186 mg of cholesterol, all of which is in the yolk.
When you decide how many eggs to include in your diet, consider the recommended daily limits on cholesterol in your food:
- If you are healthy, consume up to 300 mg of cholesterol a day.
- If you have diabetes, high cholesterol or heart disease, limit your daily cholesterol intake to no more than 200 mg a day.
If you like eggs but do not want excess cholesterol, use only the egg whites. They contain no cholesterol.
Eggs are recommended as a nutritious food and can be considering as a balanced diet of a healthy eating pattern that includes the consumption of fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Low-fat dairy products, poultry (without skin), all types of fish, legumes, vegetable oils and nuts, and limits the intake of sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and red meats.
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